VATICAN - Benedict XVI at Montecassino: We too “must not remain looking up at the sky, but, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must go everywhere and proclaim the salvific message of the death and resurrection of Christ”

Cassino (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday, May 24, the Holy Father Benedict XVI made a pastoral visit to Cassino and Montecassino. At 10:15am he presided the Eucharistic Celebration of the Solemnity of the Lord's Ascension in Cassino (Italy), in Piazza Mirando, which will be named after him following his visit. “The historical character of the mystery of the resurrection and ascension of Christ helps us to recognize and to understand the transcendent and eschatological condition of the Church, which was not born and does not live to take the place of the Lord who has 'disappeared' but which finds its reason for being in his mission and in the invisible presence of Jesus working with the power of his Spirit. In other words, we could say that the Church does not carry out the function of preparing for the return of an 'absent' Jesus, but, on the contrary, lives and works to proclaim his 'glorious presence' in an historical and existential manner,” Pope Benedict XVI said in his homily.
At the beginning of his homily, the Pontiff reflected on the Scripture readings for the day, to show the meaning of the solemnity. “Christ's ascension thus means, in the first place, the installation of the crucified and risen Son of Man in God's royal dominion over the world,” the Pope explained. “In Christ ascended into heaven, man has entered in a new and unheard of way into the intimacy of God; man now finds space in God forever...today's Solemnity of the Ascension invites us to a profound communion with Jesus dead and risen, invisibly present in the life of each of us.” Referring to the Gospel, the Holy Father highlighted that Jesus' ascent into Heaven, did not begin His “temporary absence from the world but inaugurated instead the new, definitive and insuppressible form of his presence, by virtue of his participation in the royal power of God.” Thus, this solemnity “should fill us also with serenity and enthusiasm like the Apostles, who returned from the Mount of Olives 'full of joy.' Like them, we too, accepting the invitation of the two men 'dressed in white garments,' must not stay looking up at the sky, but, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must go everywhere and proclaim the salvific message of the death and resurrection of Christ,” the Pope said.
Addressing the diocesan community, the Holy Father mentioned the need to “reinvigorate our faith in the real presence of Jesus; without him we cannot do anything of value in our life or apostolate,” and recalled the main objective of his visit: “encourage you constantly to 'build, found and rebuild' your diocesan community on Christ. How? St. Benedict himself points the way, recommending in his Rule to put nothing before Christ.”
Later, commenting the main points of Benedictine spirituality, synthesized in the motto: ora et labora et lege (prayer, work, and culture), the Pope said that prayer “is the most beautiful legacy that St. Benedict left the monks,” and to the entire Church: “Prayer -- to which grave peals of the bell of St. Benedict calls the monks every morning -- is the silent path that leads us directly to the heart of God; it is the breath of the soul that gives us peace again in the storms of life.” Then, mentioning the great care in studying the Bible, the Holy Father commented “May attentive listening to the divine Word nourish your prayer and make you prophets of truth and love in a joint commitment to evangelization and human promotion.”
The Pontiff then reflected on another aspect of Benedictine spirituality of work, in relationship to the situation today. “Humanizing the world of work is typical of the soul of monasticism, and this is also the effort of your community that seeks to be at the side of the many workers in the great industry present in Cassino and the enterprises linked to it. I know how critical the situation of many workers is. I express my solidarity with those who live in a troubling precariousness, with those workers who on unemployment assistance and those who have been laid off. May the wound of unemployment that afflicts this area lead those who are responsible for the 'res publica,' the entrepreneurs and those who are able, to seek, with everyone's help, valid solutions to the employment crisis, creating new places of work to safeguard families.” The Holy Father then highlighted that “ the family has an urgent need to be better protected” and encouraged the youth to make every effort to find jobs that allow them to build a family: “Do not be discouraged, dear friends, the Church will not abandon you!”
Attention to the world of culture and education also belongs to the Benedictine tradition. The Archive and Library of Montecassino “contain innumerable testimonies of the commitment of men and women who meditated on and researched ways of improving the spiritual and material life of man,” Benedict XVI said. “In your abbey one can touch with one's hands the "quaerere Deum," the fact that European culture has been constituted by the search for God and availability to listen to him. And this is important for our time as well.” Lastly, the Holy Father mentioned the effort to make the university and schools “workers of knowledge, research, passion for the future of new generations,” without overlooking “attention to the fragility, weakness of man, to disabled persons and immigrants,” as is seen in the “House of Charity” which the Pope inaugurated on this visit. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 25/5/2009)